Home
by Silent Rush
Summary: New Chapters! Please Read & Review. If the story is bad, good, or even halfsies, tell me. Preview: The Scooby gang is curious about Adian, what do they do? Interupt a moment of happiness for Buffy and her new beau, choas ensues! Read on!
1. Dreams

Author's Note: This is a sequel to 'Identity'.  To clear up a few things; it happens in season 7, my world, Angel is in season five for them, and there are some thing about Mark (I own Myles, Jack, Iggy, and Lennox) that may be confusing, read The Book of Fours by Nancy Holder.  She owns Mark, but I own my version of him.  All other characters belong to Joss.  Hope you like my story.  Questions, complaints, compliments, or reviews (please) just push the purple button in the bottom left corner. Thanks Julie. 

****

"Funny."  Angel froze, it couldn't be.  The brunette turned, her emerald eyes gleaming.  "Cause I always thought it was an easy name to remember."

Angel walked towards her, not believing his eyes.  "It can't be."

"Why not?  And if you say, it's because I'm dead, I swear I'll kill you."

Angel reached the woman, bent down and kissed her softly.  When he broke away, he smiled.  "Don't ever leave again."

"And what if I do?"

"The I'll have to kill you."

"I'd like to see you try."

"I love you."

"I love you."

Suddenly, Angel and the woman turned, smiling, as the others entered the room.  Mouths dropped to the floor.  Wesley uttered one disbelieving word.

"Buffy?"

****

Angel sat up in a flash.  He was covered in cold sweat and breathing hard, something he didn't normally do.  The vampire with a soul looked around at his 'posh' apartment in Wolfram & Hart, while he calmed down.

That was the seventh time he had had that dream in the past two weeks.  It had been six months since he and his friends had helped Buffy stage her death, and he couldn't help but hope she would come back, to him.

Angel missed his soul mate horribly, and could help but think if he had refused to help her, she would still be here.  No.  That wasn't true; she would have found some one else, some other way.  That's what Buffy was like, strong, stubborn, and beautiful.

Angel glanced at his clock and sighed, if vampire could sigh.  He should head downstairs.

"Great.  Another day in the salt mines."  The vampire got up and headed to the bathroom.


	2. Resignation

Meanwhile in DC

"You're sure about this?"  Director Lennox eyed his best agent.  She only smiled back at him.

"Yes.  This has been a long time coming.  I need this, I think my team needs this."

"No, we hate this."  Myles Tate glared at his friend.

"Yeah, come on, we need you."  Jack smiled weakly.

"No you guys don't, you'll be fine."  She grinned.  "Come on Ig, you know I just mess up your programs."

"Yeah, but its fun cleaning up."  The techie smiled wistfully.

"If this is what you truly want, then you got it."  Lennox smiled gravely.  "But know, there will always be a place for you on this team."

"Thanks you guys, really!"  Buffy Summers picked up her resignation files off the desk, smiled at her friends, hugged them all goodbye, then walked out off her director's office.  As she did, a crowd of applause coming from her co-workers blew her back.

Buffy Summers, super spy for the past nine months was leaving her job.  No one knew the exact reason, not even her own team who was like her family.  All any one knew, was in the past few months, Buffy had gotten happier, thrown the spy trail off her back, and handed in her resignation.

So, Buffy hugged her friends goodbye, wished luck to all her co-workers and headed out.  After all, she had a nine o'clock plane to Sunnydale.


	3. New Beginnings

"Faith!"  Willow stood in the kitchen staring at the counter of the island.

"What's up Red?"  Faith bounced into the kitchen holding a PB&J sandwich in one hand.  The brunette slayer took one look up at her friend, looked at the messy counter, then back at Willow.  "You know I was just gonna clean that up."  Faith stuck the sandwich in her mouth and went about cleaning up.  Willow sighed and sat down across from her.

"You know, part of you living here is cleaning up."

"I know.  I just got caught up in a show, and wanted to hurry."  Faith gave Willow a guilty look, but the red head just smiled.

"I hope Mark knows what he's getting himself into."  As Willow mentioned her boyfriend, Faith grinned.

"Oh he does.  Last weekend when I slept over, I woke up early to make him breakfast and made a big, and I mean big mess."  Mark Corvalis was Faith's boyfriend of eight months and counting.  They had met, briefly, at the Fish Tank, the seedy bar in Sunnydale, back when Faith and Buffy had first met.  Mark and Faith had danced during the phenomenon that was the battle of the Book of Fours.  Mark was a firefighter and had been hurt by one of the weird mummy things.  After he had recovered, he had worked to find out about the supernatural, and Faith.  He heard she was back in town during the summer and caught up with her.  Faith had finally let down her guard, and the two hit it off.

"You two are way too perfect for each other."  Willow grinned.  The two women turned as the back door opened and the man of the hour walked in.

"Who?"  Mark was tall and muscle-y with dirty blonde hair, and a smooth lined face.  Perfect ten and perfect hottie.

"Hey Baby."  Faith giggled as Mark wrapped her up in his arms and kissed her softly.  Faith's view on men had changed, along with her tastes, sort of.  "We were talking about us."

"Figures."  Mark grinned and passed a bag to Willow.  "I picked up your mugroot for you.  You know Madame Kekios is really weird.  All fluttery and blowing incense around."

Willow smiled.  Although Mark understood, accepted and participated in the supernatural business with the scoobies, he still was a little freaked out by it sometimes.  But that was normal.  "Thanks.  But I know what you mean, I wished Giles would hurry up and re open the new magic box."

"Speaking of the G-man, I have training."  Faith untangled herself from Mark and grabbed her bag.  "Come on you two, the crazy messed up world of evil awaits.

The three headed out of 1630 Revello drive and towards the newly remodeled Magic Box, and their friends. 

*****

When the three reached the Magic Box, they looked around to find some of the group missing.  Willow hurried down the steps and over to her best friend Xander who was talking with his newly re instated girlfriend Anya. 

"Hey, where's Oz?"  Willow and Oz had been back together taking it slow, she was still recovering from Tara's death.  Before either of the couple could reply, Giles came out of the back room, accompanied by his own girlfriend, Michaela Tomasi.

"He left about twenty minutes ago.  He said he was picking something up."

"Anything for me?  Like slayer wise?"  Faith grinned as she and Mark sat down at the table.

"Didn't mention what."  Xander kissed Anya and smiled.  "You never know with Oz, he's one crazy dude."  They all laughed, Oz was quiet regularly, but when he brought out his wolf side, he was a crazy man.


	4. Home Again

Oz stood at arrivals in the Sunnydale Airport, waiting.  Over the past few months he had been in contact with Buffy.  Actually she had contacted him after her funeral the beginning of March.  Normally things don't surprise Oz, but this took the cake.  It took some convincing, but finally Oz believed his friend.  

They took to talking weekly on the phone and through emails.  Which turned out to be pretty hard.  Oz didn't like to keep secrets from Willow, but Buffy had made him promise not to tell her.  He had only agreed after she had promised she would eventually come home.

After that Buffy had told Oz everything, spy, Angel, everything.  He took it pretty well, as did Buffy when he told her about the happenings in Sunnydale.  

Finally Oz had worn her down and Buffy submitted to his gift of a ticket home.  They planned carefully about how they would break the news to the others, living arrangements, and everything else.  The two had become very close friends over the past few months.

Now Oz stood waiting, watching for the friend, who he wasn't sure he'd be able to recognize.  Buffy had told him she had changed, in both appearance and personality.  Oz was really worried he wouldn't recognize her at first.  He was wrong.

Oz grinned as Buffy came through the doors.  She was right she had changed.  Buffy's once golden locks were now a rich shade of reddish brown.  Her eyes were no longer green but a scary silver.  She was still short and slim, but her muscles were defiantly more developed.

Buffy grinned as she saw her loyal friend.  She dropped her bags and ran over to Oz.  They embraced and smiled at each other.

"OZ!  Omigod, it's been way to long without a face to face."

"No kidding.  It's good to see you Buffy." Oz smiled and picked up her bags.  The two headed out to his van.

"I see the old girl is still in business."  Buffy grinned as she jumped in the passenger seat.

"Couldn't give her up."  They pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards the Magic Box.

"It feels really good to be home."  Buffy smiled at Oz.  "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being my friend, sticking with me, convincing me to come home."

"Hey if it weren't for you, I'd probably be a pelt up on Cain's wall a couple times over by now."  Oz glanced over at Buffy.  "You ready for this?"

"Yeah, I've been ready ever since I left."

"Good, cause we're here."  Oz pulled up in front of the Magic Box and turned off the van.  He sat back in his seat.

"Now?  Wow, that was fast."  Buffy breathed deep and smoothed her hair.  "Ok, lets go."  She and Oz jumped out of the van and stopped in front of the door.  Buffy turned to Oz and hugged him.

"Thanks again."

"Anytime."

"So, I look okay?"  Buffy glanced once more at Oz.  She smoothed her black dress with large Hawaiian flowers.

"Like someone those people in there should meet."  Oz smiled and pushed open the door.  Buffy took a deep breath and walked in.

*****

The scoobies looked up from their research of the latest big bad to find Oz standing beside a small red head.

"Hey Oz, Willow's over here."  Xander grinned, the others stayed silent.

"Hey guys, I'd like to re-introduce you to someone."  Oz took a deep breath, and smiled.  "Guys, you remember Buffy Summers."

The group sat in silence, staring at Oz and Buffy, and then Xander laughed.  But it wasn't his regular full laugh it was shaky and unsure.

"Funny Oz man, but really not.  Buffy was killed during the summer.  We all know that.  We went to her funeral." 

"Oz.  I must say, for you this is really a low thing to do."  Giles took off his glasses and started to clean them.

"Yes Oz, this hurts us all.  We all loved her."  Anya smiled a little.  "Even though she abandoned us to look for Spike, we still love her very much."

Buffy was silent throughout this all, and smiled a little as tears ran down her face.  This brought Xander and Willow's attention.  Both of them got up and walked carefully towards her.  Once they were in front of her, they started to examine her.

"Her eyes, they're silver."  Stated Willow.  Knowing she couldn't quite bring herself to speak, Oz spoke for Buffy.

"It's from a special vitamin Buffy took for the past 9 months."

"Her hair is red."

"It's been other colours."

"It's impossible, we saw her body."  Xander shivered a little at the memory of his friend's second service.  It was at this time Buffy chose to speak.

Her eyes softened, and her tears flowed a little easier.  As she spoke, her voice was soft, but it was still her voice.  "It was a set up, it all was.  In my line of business, everything is.  Sometimes it's hard to even remember who you really are."  

The scoobies all fell silent at her words.  There was no way this could be a fake.  When she spoke, it ignited something in them all, something they had forgotten, someone named Buffy.  The real Buffy.

Giles uttered the one word that said it all.  "Buffy."


	5. Story Telling

After the group had hugged, kissed, cried at Buffy, she and Oz finally sat them down, so she could explain everything.  They had to know everything, or she wouldn't be able to move on from it all.

"So, after everything went down last May, I left to try and find Spike.  I was convinced we needed him here."  Buffy smiled as Xander snorted.  "I realized that we didn't while I was in Prague.  I also met Myles and Jack.  They are CIA agents.  They had seen me fighting a group of Vamps and were astounded.  We became friends, I eventually told them who I was, what I was, and they told me they wanted to recruit me."

"Wait, recruit you."  Willow's head shot up.  "Like for the CIA?"

"Yeah.  It was weird at first.  I mean being introduced to this whole new world I thought I knew existed, but it turned out totally different.  But the main thing, I fell in love with it, the people and my job.

"Our division of the CIA deals with international terrorists, humans and demons.  We do the dirty work that the front division can't be associated with.  I struck up ties with the most formidable aristocrats to the lowest scum in the underworld."  Buffy looked around at her friends and saw their jaws, with the exception of Oz, on the floor.

"Over the next three months, I trained, fought and killed for my country…"

"Wait, killed."   Faith looked worried.  "You mean demons right?"  All of the scoobies now held their breath for Buffy's answer.  Knowing she was going to have to tell them sooner or later, Buffy sighed.

"Demons and humans."

"WHAT?"  Buffy was taken aback by Xander.  He seemed to be the only one voicing his opinions.  Buffy knew Oz, Faith, Anya, Willow, and possibly even Michaela understood her situation.  She wasn't sure about Giles or the Mark guy, Faith's boyfriend. 

"How could you Buff?"

"It's not that simple Xand.  The world isn't black and white, we most of all know that."

"That doesn't give you the right to take somebody's life."

"So you'd rather I die then some other guys whose only goal in life is to destroy man kind?"  Xander didn't reply to this, he only glared at Buffy, and then stormed out of the Magic Box.

"Buffy."  She turned to see Giles looking at her with a strained expression.  "Perhaps you should continue with your story, give Xander some time to cool off."

"He's right.  Xander's like a girl, likes to have hissy fits, then he comes back later."  Anya smiled reassuringly at Buffy.  "Go on, this is getting interesting."

Buffy sighed and picked up where she left off.  "In September my team, Myles is my handler, Jack my partner, and Iggy is our Tech man, and I arrived in LA.  We set up base to keep watch over several crime lords who were dealing with the underworld.

"I know I shouldn't of, but I went to see Angel.  They all didn't recognize me right away, my hair was black, and my appearance a little different.  I had to keep changing them or else I could be made.

"Anyways, the whole Angel thing was a bad idea from the start.  I mean I told him the truth, gave him every chance to trust me, and he almost killed me.  It hurt that he didn't trust me, but soon that didn't matter.  A hit was put out for me, through the Mayor of LA.  My team and I went to Angel and Co. for help.  They did a great job.  They helped kill me for the third and final time."

"So they knew the whole time?"  Asked Michaela.

"Yes, but I made them promise not to tell."

"Oz, did you know?"  Willow turned to her quiet boyfriend.

"Buffy contacted me after her funeral in November.  We stayed in contact over the next six months."

"He was my tie home.  Will, I made him promise not to tell you.  I just wasn't ready yet, I am sorry."

"It's okay, I guess I understand."  Willow smiled at her friend and boyfriend. 

"Oz was the one who convinced me to come home, to fix things with you guys."

"Fix things?"  Giles was now staring at Buffy.

"After what happened last year, me coming back, I was distant.  I never really reconnected with you guys.  But now I want that all to change.

"So I spent three months working with my team to throw the world of espionage off my back and here I am.  No longer a civil worker for the united states government."  Buffy looked around at her friends.  "May be we could start over?"

Faith spoke first.  "B, things have changed around here.  We changed.  You're going to have to work hard to get back what you had."

"I know."

Willow was next.  "Trust is a big thing with us."

"I know."

"But over all, happy to have Buffy back."  Anya smiled, ambled over to Buffy, and hugged her hard.  "As long as you work hard at a job in the Magic Box, so we can always watch you."

"Ok."  Buffy was a little surprised by this.

"Buffy."  She turned to see Giles beside her, smiling.  It's good to have you back, but you know three times is the limit, no more dying."

"I know."

"And Buffy, do you like your silver eyes?"  Michaela came up beside Giles.

"Why?"

"Because I might be able to reverse the effects of the vitamin, with Willow's help.  All we would need is the supplement."

"Like this?"  Buffy reached into her purse and took out a vial of the silvering.


	6. Friends?

After some more explaining and plan making, Buffy left the Magic Box to look for Xander.  She slipped in her green contact lenses to make him fell more comfortable.  None of the other scoobies except for Faith had felt comfortable with the pure silver orbs looking at them.  Buffy entered Willy's bar and smiled as she saw Xander sitting at the counter with a beer in hand.

She knew this was the only place Xander cam to when he felt really low.  He joked he was able to fit in with the other low lifes.  Buffy walked over and took the stool next to him.  Xander didn't even look up, he knew it was her.  Buffy was always the one who could find him anywhere.

"If someone had told me back in my sophomore year of high school that my best friend, and my future best friend would turn out to be killers I would have laughed in their faces."

"Xander."  Buffy sighed.  "Willow and I aren't killers.  We've been through a lot, dealt with a lot.  You know that, you've been there through it all with us."

"Then why am I not up there with you guys?"

"Up where Xander?  Killing someone doesn't make your life better, after I killed my first, I was a wreck.  I've never gotten over any of the people I've killed.  I still see their faces at night, I have nightmares that are like surround sound replays of what I did.  It only gets a little easier now that I am home with you guys." 

"What?"

"Xander with out you, I would be dead a hundred times over, Willow would've destroyed the world, and we both would be broken down over what we did.  The only reason I was able to get up last year, was knowing that I would see you, and Willow.  You guys are my base, but you Xander, are my heart."

"Buff, I'm sorry."  Xander turned to his friend and hugged her tightly.  "I can be a jackass sometimes."

"Sometimes?"  Buffy's voice came muffled from underneath Xander's hug.

"Hey!  Heart warming moment going on right now."

"Sorfey."  Buffy laughed a little.

"But I love you guys.  You and Willow.  I mean without you two, I would be a fat potbellied man lying in his own filth.  And not a word from you."  Xander grinned as he released Buffy.  

"Friends?"  Buffy held out her hand.

"Best."  Xander took her hand and shook it.  "You know you're never gonna get rid of me."

"Thank god for that."  The two laughed, and Xander turned back to his beer, then back to Buffy again.  

"Hey, what happened to the silver eyes?"

"Contacts.  The scoobs were getting a little freaked out."

"I liked them.  Kinda like superhero thing, suits you."

"Really?"

"Yeah.  Super Buffy.  Vanisher of all thing evil and expert shopper."  Xander jumped as Buffy lightly hit him on the shoulder.

"It's good to be back Xand."  Buffy leaned her head on his shoulder and he put his arm around hers.

"Good to have you back Buff."


	7. Bonding

Buffy unlocked a big steel door and walked into the loft followed by Willow, Xander, Oz, and Faith.

"Uhg."  Willow dropped a box on Buffy's new couch, and flopped down beside it.  "You know just because you traveled all around the world, doesn't bring you can bring it all home."

"Sorry, but you know some of these boxes do contain your presents."

"Presents?  As in plural?"  Willow sat up and perked up.  Buffy grinned.

"Box next to Oz."  Willow grinned at her best friend and opened the box beside her boyfriend.

"Hey Buffy."

"Yah Xand?"

"Where's the food?"  Buffy looked over to find Xander looking through her cupboards and fridge.

"On the shelves at the grocery store."

"But why is it not in the kitchen, within my grasp?"

"Hey if you want to go shopping, be my guest."  Xander looked over to Oz.

"Oz man, what do you say?"

"Sure."  Buffy handed Xander her credit card, and the two left.

"Hey Buffy."

"Yes Faith."  Buffy moved over to her entertainment area and started to put DVDs away.

"Nice bedroom."  Faith grinned as she walked down the huge staircase that led down from the up stairs level that was arranged like a balcony, with a hole in the middle.  "The stairs are a nice touch, you know separating the master bedroom from the upstairs."

"Thanks.  I could not believe I got this apartment."

"With your savings, anything is possible."  Faith grinned and helped Buffy carry her clothes up stairs to the large walk in closet in the master bedroom, across from the master bathroom.

"Yeah it helps some."  The two girls lapsed into a silence as they put away Buffy's stuff.  They could hear Willow's cries of happiness as she discovered more presents.  Finally, Faith spoke up.

"Hey B?"

"Yeah?"

"Not to pry, but why did you really leave the CIA.  I mean the way you described it, it sounded like your dream job."

"It was.  But having to keep moving all over the place, lying to people, never seeing you guys, it hurt.  I missed the simple life of being a small town girl slaying vampires for a living."

"Yeah, cause that life is so simple."  Faith rolled her eyes.

"Compared to the world outside, it really is."  The girls went back into silence.  Then Buffy smiled.  "Now, tell me about Mark.  Cause he is chalk full of hunky goodness, and I want to know how he tamed you."

Faith laughed.  "That is a really long story."

"I've got time, hey, I've got an eternity, as far as I am concerned."


	8. A New Look A New Guy?

The group spent the next couple of weeks getting reacquainted, learning more about Buffy's last nine moths and getting comfortable.  Buffy and Faith began to get closer, training, and patrolling together.  The group all got closer with Buffy.  Michaela and Buffy got closer as they worked to find a cure for Buffy's silver eyes.  Finally they did.

On Monday morning, about a month after Buffy had come back, the group gathered at the Magic Box.  Buffy and Michaela had been in the back training room for a couple of hours.  Every once and a while the group heard Buffy shout, or Michaela say sorry.  Finally after four hours of waiting, the door opened and Michaela emerged.  The group hurried up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce, our Buffy, back in action."  She smiled and moved aside.  The group grinned.

A small dirty blonde figure stared back at them with full, intense green orbs.  "Hey guys.  What's the verdict?" 

"Love it."  Xander grinned and Buffy rushed forward and hugged them all.

"Thanks guys."  Buffy blushed as the astonished group grinned.  "I'm just gonna go change."  Buffy hurried into the back and came out several minutes later dressed in loose green cargos, a black army tee, and a green army jacket.  "Will, Faith?  You ready?"

"Yup."  The two women hooked arms with Buffy and headed out of the store for a lunch date.  They had asked Michaela and Anya, but both had said no, saying they had something to do.

As they walked down main street, they stopped, hearing someone calling Buffy's name.  The three turned to see a dark reddish-brownish haired man running after them.  He was tall, muscular, and total hogtie.  When he finally caught up with them, it was impossible for Faith and Willow not to notice his dark green eyes.

"I'm sorry."  Willow smiled tightly.  "Do we know you?"

"I don't think we do, cause I would remember you."  Faith looked the guy over.  They turned to Buffy, who was staring at the man with her jaw drooping to the floor.  

"Buffy?"  The man started, But Buffy's whisper interrupted him.

"Aidan?"

"Ok, I know.  Lots of explain.  But how bout we start with, I have been looking everywhere for you.  You just up and left."

"Aidan."

"Buffy, wait…"

"Aidan, not here."  For the first time, the man looked at the other two.

"Oh.  Sorry.  I am Aidan Quinn, a …friend of Buffy's."  Faith and Willow looked at Aidan, each other, then at Buffy.

"If this guy is…"

"NO, it's ok."  Buffy smiled weakly at her friends.  "Do you think I could take a rain check on lunch?"

"Sure."  Willow looked at Aidan warily.  "But we're just a phone call away.  OK?"

"Ok."

Faith and Willow gave one last look at Aidan before leaving the two alone.


	9. Past Love

Aidan and Buffy looked at each other, before they turned and started to walk down the street together.  They matched each other perfectly; anyone passing by would think they were a couple.  But that was far from what they were, at least, not any more.

"So Buffy, where'd you go?"

"You know, most people start with hello."

"We're way past hello, and you know that."

Buffy sighed.  "It's not very simple."

"Nothing ever is."

"When I met you, I was going through a hard time.  I had faked my own death, thought I would never see any of my friends again."

"You told me this.  I understood then, and I still do.  Buffy, that doesn't justify running out on me."

"Aidan, you told me you loved me, we…had sex, I got scared."

"You think I wasn't.  Buffy, you're the only person I've ever truly loved, the one thing that makes sense to me in the world."

"I'm sorry Aidan, I really am."  They stopped walking.  Aidan sighed and ran his hands through his hair, mussing it up.

"So what does that mean?"

"I don't know."

"That's not good enough Buffy.  I love you.  You know that.  What I want to know, is if there is a chance you might one day love me."

"Ialreadydo."  

"What?"  Taken by surprise, Aidan leaned down. He put his hands on her shoulders.  "What did you say?"

Buffy looked up at him, tears streaming down her face, but a smile marring it.  "I said, I already do."

Aidan's eyes lit up and he hugged Buffy hard.  He picked her up and swung her around.  "Buffy.  This is great."

"Yeah, perfect."  Buffy couldn't help but grin as Aidan finally put her down and looked at her.

"So, does this mean…"

"Aid…I left the spy business.  I'm clean now."

"What, you didn't think I knew?"  Aidan looked surprised.  "How do you think I found you?"

"But Aidan, this means I can't leave Sunnydale.  This is my home, my friends are here.  We just…"  Aidan put his hand over her mouth, stopping her from talking.

"Buffy, where ever you are, I am."  At this, Buffy grinned and hugged Aidan.  When she let go, Aidan put his arm around her shoulder, she put her small arm around his waist and they continued to walk together.

"You know you're stuck with me now, right?"  Buffy grinned up at Aidan.  He smiled gently down at her.

"I know." Aidan kissed her on the head and held her tighter.  "But you know, I'm gonna need a place to stay."

"I think I know just the place."  Buffy smiled, and she and Aidan headed towards their new apartment.


	10. Trouble

"So this guy just walked up, and Buffy left with him?"  Faith and Willow had gone back to the Magic Box after they had left Buffy.  They had told everything, and the group was teetering on the edge of disbelief.

"They seemed to know each other."  Willow was standing next to Faith.  The two stood in front of the rest.

"But Buffy was shocked to seem him."  Faith turned to Willow.  "What was his name?"

"Aidan Quinn."

"Quinn?"  Giles stepped forward.  "That name, I've heard it before."

"So have I."  Michaela looked thoughtful fore a second then went and retrieved a book.  She handed it to Giles.

"The Warriors of Old?"  Mark bent and read the title aloud.  "What's that?"

"More like who?"  Anya spoke up.  "It's a index of all of the warrior families over the years, some date back to the beginning of time."  The room was silent as the group turned to look at Anya, shocked.  "What?  I was a demon for eleven hundred years."

"Anyway."  Giles flipped the pages of the book, and then stopped.  His eyes widened as he looked over the page he had stopped at.

"Rupert, what is it?"  Michaela leaned over and gasped as she looked.  The others began to get annoyed, and Finally Xander reached over and snatched the book from the watchers' hands.  He sat back down, and began to read aloud.

"The Quinn Family. Known warriors from before the light came.  They are sworn to fill one objective.  To wipe out the race that plagues the earth.  The corruptors or mankind and everything that is good.  The slayers."  After he read this, Xander went silent.  He looked up and around at the others who were just as shocked.  "If Aidan Quinn is related to these Quinn Family warriors, then we have a big problem."


	11. Crisis

"Mmmmm."  Buffy laid back against Aidan who sat against the headboard in their bedroom.  "I missed you."

He smiled and ruffled her already mussed hair.  "Me too."

"So, are you ever going to introduce me to those very cute ladies I saw you with today?"

"No.  You're all mine."  Buffy smiled, then groaned as she heard the doorbell.  "Or will be when I get back."  She climbed over Aidan and kissed him.  "Stay."

Aidan laughed as he watched Buffy wrap herself toga style in a red sheet, then hurry down stairs.

*****

"This better be good."  Buffy muttered as she unlocked the door.  Her jaw dropped as she saw Faith, and Mark standing outside her door, each holding a weapon.  "What the hell…?  Is there a big bad?"

"No, well possibly."  Faith glanced at Buffy.  "Can we come in?"

"NO!"  Buffy whispered loudly.  She moved out into the hall and closed the door.  "Aidan's in there."

"He's here?"  Mark looked worried

"Yes.  Now here's the question of the day, why are you guys here?  And why the ammunition?"

"Look Buffy, we have some bad news…" Buffy looked at Faith but only sighed and leaned back against the door.

"Is this about the whole his family is sworn to kill slayers thing?"  Mark and Faith's eyes widened as Buffy said this.

"You know?"  Asked Mark.

"Of course.  That's how we first met.  He was hunting me."

"And so you slept with him?"  Faith's eyes practically bugged out.

"NO, not at first."  Buffy sighed.  "It's complicated."

"Buffy."  Mark put his hand on her shoulder.  "I've come to think of you as a little sister.  I mean I love Faith, you and her are like sisters, so it's only natural.  But this goes beyond the line of support.  It's insane."

"No, it's really not.  Just give me a chance to explain."

"We're waiting."  Faith crossed her arms.

"I'm guessing everybody else knows to?"  At the two's silence, Buffy sighed again.  "Give me 10 minutes, then me and Aidan will meet you all at the Magic Box."

"You're bringing him?"

"Faith!"  Buffy opened the door and walked back in side.  "Just go."

After she closed the door, Buffy slumped back up the two sets of stairs to Aidan.  At his curious look, she smiled weakly.

"Honey, you know that whole 'you're all mine' thing?"

"Yeah?"

"Well its gonna have to wait.  We got a bit of a crisis."


	12. A History Lesson

Author's Note: I really like my story, but I need to know if you guys do.  So, if anyone wants me to continue, I need at least three reviews.  Thanks.  Julie ;)

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"Well this is a bundle of fun."  Buffy rolled her eyes at Xander's statement.  

For the past ten minutes, she and Aidan had stood in front of the scoobies.  No one had said anything.  They were just staring.  Finally Aidan came to the rescue.

"Look, I know you guys are confused…"

"I wouldn't say confused."  Willow stood up.  "Just more, perplexed."

"Yeah, you kill slayers for a living."  Xander looked angry.  "And yet here you are, sleeping with ours.  Now that really doesn't make sense."

"If you'd let us explain…" Buffy was silently pleading for Giles to step in.  Finally, he did.

"Alright, explaining would be good."

Buffy looked over at Aidan, who sighed.  This was a story they had both told a couple of times over now.

"My Family, the Quinn's are as you know, a warrior family.  You also know that the objective is to kill slayers.  What you don't know is why."

"Does there have to be a reason?"  Asked Faith.  She was clearly mad.

"There does, and there is."  Aidan felt Buffy slip her hand inside his before he continued.  "The legends don't tell exactly what happened.  The first slayer…"

"Ohhh, we met her."  Anya smiled happily.  "She was dirty and tried to kill us in our dreams."

"Ok.  Well, she and the son of the first Quinn family fell in love."

"Did love even exist back then?"  Mark had his arm protectively around Faith.

"It did.  But, the Quinn family opposed to the slayer, as did the first watchers to the son."

"Like Romeo and Juliet."  Oz smiled.

"Close enough.  Eventually the angry between the two families went to far, killing the slayer and the son."

"The first slayer wasn't killed by demons?"  Asked Michaela.  Buffy now spoke up.  

"No.  But it was written that a demon did, to hide the shame of the two lovers.  At least that's the way the watchers and Quinn's decided it should be."

"They made up?"  Asked Xander.

"No."  Aidan sighed again.  "The war between the two groups has gone on for millions of years.  It was never written in a diary when a slayer killed a Quinn, or a Quinn killed a slayer.  Excuses were always made."

"So, what?"  Faith looked between the two.  "How'd you two get passed the whole 'family feud' thing?"  At this, Xander stifled a giggle.  A 'family feud' could be heard under his breath, but the others ignored him.

"Like I said before."  Buffy smiled.  "We met in Buenos Aeries.  I was on a mission, so was he.  After I finished, I was set for ETA in a small clearing in a forest.  I had to take a detour, because I thought someone was following me.  My first thought that it was Jack.  He was supposed to meet me at the extraction point.  But then I got a call, on my cell.

"Turned out to be Jack, I had a trail.  They couldn't get a visual.  He and Iggy were tracking me on GPS.  They told me that there was a cliff 20 meters ahead.  He said that I could do a 180, and trick the guy to go over the cliff.  Didn't exactly work."

"I had already scouted the location."  Aidan grinned.  "  Right after she hid in the bushes, I tackled her.  We ended up rolling right over the cliff into the water below.  We were unconscious and alone, together for a week.  Her tracker had gotten knocked of, as did my cell phone

"We fought the first 4 hours, then resulted in arguing.  By the fifth day, we I relented and told her who I was."  He grinned again, and pulled up his sleeve.  The group gasped as they saw a 6-inch, jagged, scar.  It ran from his wrist up to his elbow, on the inside of his arm.  "That's what Buffy gave me when I told her what I did for a living.  It was good timing, cause twenty minutes later, her team found us."

"We left him there."  Buffy grinned as well.  "But he found us two weeks later.  Iggy had done some research during that time, and son he filled us in on the true story."

"And then you two made happy?"  Asked Willow.

"Nope."  Aidan ruffled Buffy's hair.  Took me three more months before I actually got her to like me.  Then after we finally got close, she bailed."

"That's our Buffy."  Now it was Faith's turn to grin.

"Why did you leave?"  Asked Oz.

"That's really not a story for the whole group."  Buffy groaned as Aidan kissed the top of her head.

"Fine.  But I want the full version later."

"Ok."  Buffy smiled.  She was just about to speak, when the phone rang.  "Ohh, I can practice for my job."  Buffy leapt out of Aidan's grasp and over to the phone.  "Magic Box.  Buffy Speaking, how may I help you."  She waited a moment, and when no one answered, she frowned.  "Hello?"  The next word that came over made Buffy give her self a mental slap?

"Buffy?"  Angel sounded so surprised, Buffy sighed.

"Yeah it's me, hey Angel."

"Okay, I know I helped you fake your death, so you could leave the country and permanently break ties with your life.  So, why are you answering Giles's phone?"

"It's a long story.  And I don't think Giles wants to spend that much on phone bills."

"I'll come to Sunnydale."

"No, no.  I'll come back to LA.  There are some people I want to see."

"Ok."

"Angel."

"Yeah?"

"It's gonna be ok."

 TBC

*IF, reviews come…*


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